11Synonyms found for dig

Word Origin & History

dig early 14c. (diggen), of uncertain origin, probably related to dike and ditch, either via O.Fr. diguer (ult. from a Gmc. source), or directly from an unrecorded O.E. word. Native words were deolfan, grafan (medial -f- pronounced as "v" in O.E.). Meaning "thrust or poke" (as with an elbow) is from 1819; figurative sense of this is from 1840. Slang sense of "understand" first recorded 1934 in Black English, probably based on the notion of "excavate." A slightly varied sense of "appreciate" emerged 1939. Noun meaning "archaeological expedition" is from 1896. Related: Digging.

Example Sentences for dig

If you want to actually understand the causes of the crisis, you have to dig into those complexities though.

The dig marks made by a predatory dinosaur, including a claw impression.

Knowing where fossils were found in the past might help them decide where to dig.

The colleges were forced to dig into their own pockets to support the students.

They can barely dig it out fast enough to meet demand.

Or alternatively, smaller males withdraw to a respectful distance and dig tunnels of their own.

So to sniff out the tunnels, law enforcement has decided to dig a few of its own.

These two conditions would allow him to survive the intense cold and the arduous dig out of his snow tomb.

Paleontologists will have to dig deeper to find out.

Carter talked him into bankrolling a final season, promising to pay the costs himself if the dig came up empty.